MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - The third-ranked Embry-Riddle Eagles put together a solid defensive effort in South Florida, emerging with a 59-49 win over Florida Memorial on the road Saturday night. The Eagles (20-3, 9-2) built a 10-point halftime lead before the Lions (7-15, 4-7) battled back to tie it up with 10 minutes left in the 2nd, but the visitors answered by outscoring the hosts by 10 to end the game.
The Blue and Gold shot 40-percent from the field and just 20-percent from long range, but the defensive effort put forth by ERAU was impressive as the Lions could manage just 36-percent from the floor and 15-percent from deep with the Eagles dominating the boards, 47-26.
The Eagles jumped out to a 5-2 lead on a
Dalton Barnes' layup and stayed in front of the Lions by a possession over the next few minutes of play.
Cesar Pastrana put ERAU in front 11-6 with a layup off a pretty pass from
Rico Saldana, but FMU kept the Eagles within striking distance until a three-pointer by
Reed Ridder sparked a 7-0 run as Embry-Riddle took a 20-11 lead with seven minutes left in the half.
When the Lions cut the Eagle lead to 21-16,
Daniel Kiesling hit a jumper and Barnes followed with a trey as the Eagles went up by 10. Barnes scored the last bucket of the half with 28 seconds left and the visitors' defense did not allow FMU to convert on their offensive possession as the Eagles took a 28-18 lead into the break.
Florida Memorial didn't waste time trimming the deficit as the Lions scored the first six points of the second half. Kiesling's trey with 16:34 on the clock ended the FMU run, but the Lions were able to get it back to a one possession game when Hanif Malloy hit a jumper for a 32-29 score.
Embry-Riddle held a 36-32 lead when Pastrana got an offensive rebound and lay-in, but FMU tied the game with back-to-back layups.
The Eagles went to Pastrana in the post on the next trip down the floor and the junior was fouled before sinking both free throws to reclaim the lead for ERAU, one they would never relinquish.
The Eagles went up 43-39 on a pair of Kiesling free throws and a three-point play by
Hudson Cadet gave the visitors a 47-41 cushion with just under seven minutes remaining.
Neither team could score until
DeForest Carter hit one from the charity stripe with 4:30 left, but again the Lions responded, bringing themselves back to within one possession at 50-47.
Embry-Riddle finished the contest on a 9-2 run to cement the win, starting with runners from Carter and Barnes.
Barnes led the Eagles with 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting while Kiesling added 12 and Pastrana finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.
ERAU travels to Thomasville, Ga. to take on Thomas on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m.
